Deburring or polishing machine



Aug. 2, 1955 w. B. MOORE DEBURRING OR POLISHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 6,1952 m rk 3 Sheets-Sheet l m m w W.

Walter B. Moore M, v M,

Aug. 2, 1955 w. B. MOORE DEBURRING OR POLISHING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Dec. 6, 1952 INVENTOR. Walter B. Moore M, $7 607 x M I Aug. 2,1955 w. B. MOORE DEBURRING OR POLISHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledDec. 6, 1952 INVENTOR. Walter B. Moore United States Patent 6 DEBURRINGOR POLISHING MACHINE Walter B. Moore, West Lafayette, Shin ApplicationDecember 6, H52, Serial No. 324,474

9 Claims. (CI. 5192) My invention relates to a dcburring or polishingmachine. It has to do, more particularly, with a machine for deburringor polishing the interiors of hollow articles of annular cross-section.

My machine is especially suitable for 'deburring or polishing theinteriors of shell casings. These casings have a number of perforationspunched inwardly through the side walls thereof which produce burrs, onthe interiors of such walls, that must be removed. Because each of theshell casings has a neck which is narrower than the body thereof, it isdiflicult to insert a proper deburring or polishing tool into theinterior thereof and to remove such a tool. In the prior art, deburringtools have been provided which include abrasive members that expand bycentrifugal force, created by rotation of the tool, into contact withthe wall of the hollow article after being inserted therein. Thesemembers are usually retracted by spring or lever retractors to permitremoval of the tool from the article. The result is that the devices arecomplicated, and excessive centrifugal force is re quired for expandingthem into contact with the work.

It is the object of my invention to provide a very sim ple cleburring orpolishing machine for use on the interiors of hollow articles whichincludes a tool head that is contracted before it is inserted into thehollow article, is readily expanded by centrifugal force into contactwith the interior of the wall of the hollow article, and is easilycontracted and retracted when the deburring or polishing operation iscompleted.

Although in this description I refer to my machine as being used foroperation on the interior of shell casings having narrow necks, it is tobe understood that it can be used on other articles with narrow necks,on articles of straight cylindrical form, on tapered or flared articles,and on other hollow articles of annular cross-section.-

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designatecorresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of a machine made accordingto my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevational view, partly broken away. of the end of themachine where the operator will be disposed.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail in side elevation, partly broken away, of a toolhead of the machine retracted in the associated retracting ring outsidethe hollow article.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 but mainly in longitudinalsection and showing the tool head in expanded condition within thehollow article.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional View taken along line S8 of Figure 7.

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Figure 9 is a perspective view of the end of the ma chine where the toolheads and associated retracting rings are located.

With reference to the drawings, I have illustrated a machine which isdesigned to hold two shell casings for the deburring or polishingoperation. However, it is to be understood that the machine may bedesigned to hold any number of articles and that these articles may behollow articles of different types.

The machine includes a base plate 10 which is suitably supported inhorizontal position by a supporting frame 11. Upon the base plate 10 ismovably mounted a carriage 12 adapted to carry the shell casings S. Thetool heads 13 and the actuating units 14 therefor are disposed abovethis plate 10 in association with the carriage 12.

The carriage 12 comprises a rear vertically disposed plate 15 extendingtransversely and welded to the longitudinally extending side bars 16.The forward ends of the side bars 16 are welded to a transverselydisposed vertical fixture plate 17 which has transversely spacedcradling notches 18 formed therein for receiving the reduced necks N(Figure 9) at the open ends of the shell casings S. Disposed between thebars 16 and welded thereto at the rear of the carriage is a verticallydisposed transverse fixture plate 19 which is spaced slightly ahead ofthe plate 15' and is parallel thereto. This plate 19 is provided withcradling notches 24) in axial alignment with the notches 18 and forreceiving the rear ends of the shell casings S. Each of the casings S isprovided with a flange F (Figure 2) at its closed end which will bepositioned between the plates 15' and 19 and will prevent axial movementof the shells forwardly on the carriage or to the right of the carriagewith reference to Figure 2. T he shells will be positioned in thecarriage from the top side which will be open. They will merely bedropped into the aligning cradling notches 18 and 26), the lower halvesof the flanges F being disposed between the two plates 15 and 19 aroundthe semicircular lower portions of the cradling notches 20.

For holding the shell casings S in fixed position within the cradlingnotches l8 and 20 and to prevent rotation thereof during the deburringoperation, locking levers 21 are provided at the rear end of thecarriage 12. These locking levers 21 are pivoted at 22 to the verticalplate 15 and are provided with beveled and shouldered upper ends 23which are movable through slots in the plate 15 and are adapted toengage the flanges F at the uppermost points thereof. The manner inwhich these locking levers 21 are operated will be described later.Normally they are not in engagement with the flanges F and are sopositioned as to perm-it dropping of the shell casings S into theircradling notches 18 and 20 or lifting of the shell casings therefrom.

The carriage 12 is carried by four rollers which are supported ontransverse shafts 31 that are attached to the lower side of thecarriage. These rollers operate on angle members 33 which extendlongitudinally of the base plate 19 in parallel relationship and aresupported thereby. Guide angles 32 are secured to the angle membars 33and extend over such angles. Thus, the angle members 32 and 33 willguide the carriage 12 in its longitudinal reciprocations on the baseplate 10 which reciprocation will be necessary, as will later appear, tooperate the machine. Vertically disposed guard plates 16a are providedalong each side edge of the base plate 10 carriage in its rearwardrnostor left hand position (Figure 2) and means for actuatingthe lockinglevers 21. This mechanism is shown best in Figures 2 and 3. It includesa handle mem-ber 35 which is supported by upstanding angles 36 whichare-secured to the plate and the side bars 16, the handle being held inrigid fixed position. The handle member 35 carries a pair of dependingpins 37 upon which is slidably mounted a second handle member 33. Thishandle member 38 is normally held in its lowermost position by means ofcompression springs 39 disposed between the members 35 and 33 on thepins 37. The handle member 33, in turn, is provided with a pair ofdepending bolts 40 which carry a transverse bar 41, parallel to handle38, at the lower ends thereof. Midway between the ends of the bar 41, alatch member 42 is mounted for vertical movement, being normallyretained in its lowermost position by means of a compression spring 43which engages at its lower end a shoulder on the lower end of the latchand at its upper end engages the bar 41. This latch member normallyextends downwardly behind a keeper 44 which is secured to the base plateIt It will be noted from Figure 2, that the latching levers 21 arepivoted off center and normally swing downwardly and forwardly intoengagement with the transverse bar 41.

When it is desired to move the carriage 12, the handles 35 and 38 aregripped with the hands and the handle 38 is pulled upwardly against theforce of the springs 39. This will exert an upward pull on thetransverse bar 41. Consequently, the latch member 42 will be pulledupwardly and will be released from the keeper 44 so that it will now bepossible to push the carriage 12 forwardly on the base plate 10. Upwardmovement of the bar 41, also causes the upper ends of the locking levers21 to swing forwardly and engage the flanges F of the shell casings S attheir uppermost points. This will serve to prevent rotation of the shellcasings in the cradling notches 18 and 20. When operation on the shellcasings is completed, the handle 38 may be released and this willrelease the locking levers 21 since springs 39 will push the bar 38downwardly and will, therefore, lower the bar 41. The carriage may nowbe moved rearwardly to its original position, the lower end of the latchmember 42 merely sliding along the base plate 10 until it reaches thekeeper 44, when the cam surface 45 of the latch 1 member will ride upover the keeper, permitting the latch to snap behind the keeper andretain the carriage in position until the handle 38 is again movedupwardly.

As indicated previously, the shell casings S are loaded into thecarriage 12 through the upper open side thereof and while the carriageis locked in its initial position. The shell casings are removed throughthe upper open side of the carriage, after the carriage is returned toand islocked in its original position.

The tool heads 13 are carried by suitable units for producing rotationthereof. These units may take various forms but I prefer to use airmotors. Each of these units is supported in fixed position by suitablepiping as shown provided with a shaft 51 (Figure l) which carries a toolhead 13. 'Air is supplied to these motors by suitable piping asindicated. The motors are supported rigidly in positions spaced abovethe base plate 10 and in axial alignment with the shell casings S whenthey are supported on the carriage 12. A hinged cover 52 of inverted uform in cross section is provided over this portion of the machine,extending from the vertical side plates 16a to the right hand or forwardend of the machine as shown best in Figure 1, being hinged to one sideof the plate 10 as shown in Figures 1 and 9 by hinges 53a. An end wall53 is provided as a guard at the forward end of the machine and issuitably secured at its lower edge to the angle members 33.

The piping for operating the air motors of the units 50 includes a pipe54 which extends beneath the plate 10 towards the rear end of themachine.

This pipe includes a valve 55 which has an operating plunger 56 thatnormally extends upwardly through an opening in the base plate in. Thecarriage 12 carries at its lower side, directly above the plate 16*, avalve actuating strip 57 which is in rigid fixed position on thecarriage midway between the sides thereof and in axial alignment withthe plunger 56. The forward end of the strip 57 is provided with abeveled or cam portion 58.

Normally with the carriage 12 in its initial position at the rear end ofplate 10, the forward end of strip 57 is sp rearwardly from the valveplunger 56, as shown in Figure 2. Therefore, the valve is normallyclosed. As soon as the carriage, however, is pushed forwardly, theplunger 56 is engaged by the strip 57 and is pushed I downwardly so asto open the valve 55. This will supply air to the units 5? and cause thetool heads 13 to rotate.

The tool heads 13 are illustrated best in Figures 5 to 8. it will be notd that the end of each shaft 51, which is driven by a unit 50, isprovided with a disc-like portion 3. Fivotec to this disc 60 by means ofthe pivot bolts are the abrasive fingers or levers 62. These levers 62have outer ends 63 of a curvature corresponding to that of the interiorof the shell casings. The fingers 62 are arranged in a single pair andextend in opposite directions from diametrically opposed points so thattheir opposed ends will swing outwardly away from each other uponrotation of the tool unit. If desired, the members 62 may carryreplaceable abrasive pads or other selected working members on theirouter ends. It will be apparent that the centrifugal force created byrotation of the shaft 51 will swing the fingers 62 outwardly.

it will be understood that when the carriage 12 is first moved to theright (Figures 1 and 2) the tool heads 13 will not yet be rotating. Theywill, iowever, be positioned in the retracting rings 6 These rings areformed in blocks which are removably secured by bolts 65 (Fig ure 7) inflanges edattachcd to the fixture plate 17. Obviously, the rings 6-2will be in axial. alignment with the shell casings S supported byfixture plates 17 and 19 and with the tool heads 13 carried by theshafts 51. With the carriage 12 in its initial position where it islocked at the left or rearward end of plate 30, the tool heads 13 willbe positioned as shown in Figures 5 and 6, so that the finger 62 will beretracted wnnin the rings 64.

As soon as the carriage 12 is moved to the right, the rings 64 will movetherewith towards the right and as soon as the tool heads move out ofthe rings 64 and into the shell casings S, the centrifugal force createdby the rotation of the shafts 51 will cause the fingers 62 to swingoutwardly into engagement with the inner wall surface of the shellcasings. Proper contact will be made by centrifugal force throughout thenecks and the bodies of the shell casings and the flared connectingportions thereof. As previously indicated, rotation of the shafts 5.1will begin as soon as the operating strip 57 on the carriage 12 engagesthe valve plunger 56. This will be just at the instant that the toolheads 13 enter the open ends of the shell casings.

The carriage 12 may be mo".

'ed slowly to the right at such a speed that the deburring or polishingoperation will be performed properly and the entire inner surface ofeach shell casing S will be contacted by the ends of members 62. As soonas the full length of the shell casings is traversed, the carriage 12.will be pulled back to its original position. As it nears the end of itsreturn movement, the rings 64 will move over the tool heads 13. It willbe noted from Figures 5 and 7, that the rings 64 each have a beveledsurface-6'7 at the side adjacent the mouth of the shell casing. Thissurface will form a beveled mouth which at its outer side is ofsubstantially the same diameter as the neck N, the diameter of the mainopening in the ring 64 being slightly smaller than that of the neck.Therefore, as the carriage l2 nears the extent of its movement to theleft, the tool heads 13 enter the rings 6 5 and the beveled surfaces 67will gradually retract the finger 62 so that they can move completelywithin the rings. The heads will now be ready for insertion into themouths of other shell casings. The rings 64 will be supported close to,but slightly spaced from, the ends of the shell casings S (Figures and7) so as not to interfere with rotation thereof. However, the fingers 62will be sufficiently wide, as shown in Figure 5, to bridge this space.With the carriage 12 locked in its initial position, the shell casings Swill be positioned relative to the rings 64 as in Figure 5 and can bereadily lifted from the cradling notches 18 and 20 of the carriage. Theflared mouth 67 of the ring 64 will face the open end of the shellcasing S and will be of a diameter at least that of the open end of thecasing but the main part of the ring will be of slightly less diameteras indicated above. This will ensure that the tool head will becontracted as it leaves the shell casing. Furthermore, this action willbe facilitated because the fingers 62 will bridge the space between theopen end of the article and the flared mouth of the ring.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided amachine which performs its operations automatically upon movement of thecarriage along the supporting base. The tool heads are of such a naturethat centrifugal force will readily move the tool members into contactwith the walls of the casings. The retracting rings provide simple meansfor automatically retracting the tool members as they leave the shellcasings and since all springs are eliminated, there is no springpressure to overcome by the centrifugal force. The use of the air motorsfor driving the tool heads is preferred since this will allow someyielding to back-pressure developed by the tool head when the workingfingers or tool members encounter the burrs.

Various other advantages will be apparent.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A machine for operating on the interior of a hollow article ofannular cross-section which has an open end to perform a selectedoperation on the interior surface thereof, comprising a tool head, meansfor supporting the article, means for supporting the tool head, saidtool head including tool members expandible by centrifugal force, meansfor rotating the tool head, said means for supporting the articlecomprising a carriage having means for carrying the article, means forreciprocating the carriage, a retracting ring supported on the carriageso that it will be in axial alignment with the open end of the articlewhen supported on the article carrying means on the carriage, saidretracting ring having a flared mouth facing the article carrying means,said means for supporting said tool head supporting it independently ofthe carriage and for rotation in axial alignment with said ring but infixed position longitudinally so that as the carriage is reciprocatedthe ring and the article supported by the carriage will be moved axiallyof the tool head, and means for normally locking the carriage in such aposition that the tool head is disposed within the main part of theretracting ring.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises alatch carried by the carriage and edgaging a support on which thecarriage is mounted, and means on the carriage for releasing said latch.

3. A machine according to claim 2 wherein said tool head is mounted on arotatable shaft carried by said support in axially fixed position, saidrotating means for the tool head comprising a driving unit for drivingsaid shaft, and means for actuating said driving unit when said latch isreleased and said carriage is initially moved. 1 4. A machine accordingto claim 3 wherein said driving unit comprises a fluid motor, a startingvalve connected thereto, said actuating means comprising a cam carriedby the carriage and out of engagement with the carriage locked butmovable into engagement with said valve upon the initial movement of thecarriage.

5. A machine according to claim 4 wherein said carriage is provided withcradling fixtures for holding the article, and means for locking thearticle in such fixtures to prevent rotation thereof.

6. A machine according to claim 5 wherein said locking means comprises alocking lever, and means for moving said locking lever into lockingposition upon release of said carriage latching means.

7. A machine according to claim 6 wherein said cradling fixturescomprise vertically disposed transverse plates which are spacedlongitudinally of the carriage and have aligning cradling notches, oneend of the article being closed and having a flange, and an additionalplate mounted in slightly spaced relationship to the fixture plate whichreceives the closed end of the article so that the flange will bedisposed between such plates when the article is supported in thefixture plates, said locking lever being pivoted to said additionalplate so that it will engage the flange of said article when actuated.

8. A machine according to claim 7 comprising a fixed handle on thecarriage for moving the carriage, and a movable handle mounted adjacentthe fixed handle and movable to release said latching means and actuatesaid locking lever.

9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein the fixture plates areprovided with a plurality of sets of aligning notches for receiving aplurality of articles, a correspond ing number of locking levers, acorresponding number of retracting rings on the carriage in axialalignment with the sets of notches, and a corresponding number of toolheads in axial alignment with said retracting rings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS393,675 Ward Nov. 27, 1888 699,367 Brewington May 6, 1902 945,979 NortonJan. 11, 1910 1,419,929 Jackson June 20, 1922 1,783,019 Johnson Nov. 25,1930 1,934,858 Isom Nov. 14, 1933 2,346,861 Montgomery Apr. 18, 19442,405,467 Talboys Aug. 6, 1946 2,419,665 Talboys Apr. 29, 1947

